Archive for the ‘apartments’ Category

By fall of 2019, 44 adults, 55 years old or older will call Minnehaha Commons at 3001 E. Lake Street, home. All residents will be very low income; most will have experienced homelessness and may have been screened out by other landlords due to their housing, credit or criminal history. Alliance Housing owns and/or manages similar properties in South and North Minneapolis. The properties are an asset to the tenants, the surrounding neighbors, and our community at large.

Alliance’s partner, Touchstone Mental Health, will provide a range of support services to ensure tenants can remain stably housed. Cermak Rhoades Architects managed the project design. General Contractors are Watson Forsberg in partnership with TRI Construction. Broen Housing provided real estate development consulting. The Longfellow Community Council, Councilmember Cam Gordon, and Representative Jim Davnie welcomed the project to the neighborhood and provided letters of support.

“According to the Wilder Foundation’s 2015 homeless survey, seniors are the fastest growing segment of homeless people locally,” said Alliance Housing Inc. Executive Director, Barbara Jeanetta. “Alliance Housing was ahead of the curve when we conceived this project more than ten years ago. Our organization is uniquely positioned to successfully house this population because of our previous experience serving seniors in our rooming houses.” Jeanetta continued, “Our tenant service coordinators and property managers build trusting relationships with tenants, discuss problems, identify options for maintaining housing stability and increasing self-sufficiency, and assist tenants to choose their community services. It is a proven program, and we look forward to bringing this exciting new development and its related support services to serve seniors in south Minneapolis.”

Construction will begin in September 2018. To celebrate, Alliance Housing is hosting a groundbreaking event on Thursday, September 13th at 4 p.m. on the site. Invited and/or confirmed guests include the Commissioner of DHS, Emily Piper, and Councilmember Cam Gordon. A neighborhood historian will eulogize the homeless family that lost their lives when the McMahon Bar, the site of the new building, burned. And Alliance’s board chair, Ben Olk II, a Longfellow Community Council board member, and a potential future tenant of the property are also anticipated to be part of the program. The $10.8 million development is expected to be completed and fully leased by September 2019.

Funding for the project was provided by a variety of sources including a State of Minnesota Department of Human Services Live Well at Home grant, Minnesota Housing’s Housing Infrastructure Bonds and 4% tax credits. The City of Minneapolis’ Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Hennepin County’s Affordable Housing Incentive Fund, the Metropolitan Council’s Livable Communities Local Housing Incentives Account, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines’s Affordable Housing Program also provided financial support. Twin Cities Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Thrivent, and the Sisters of Carondelet provided early acquisition and predevelopment support.

ABOUT ALLIANCE HOUSING, INC: Alliance’s work makes it possible for individuals and families to create homes for themselves, regardless of income and background by developing and managing housing that is: inclusive, affordable, relational, and, flexible. In addition, Alliance Housing challenges the environment that limits its residents’ opportunities. Neighbors and tenants alike say Alliance’s properties are the “best on the block.” For more information visit AllianceHousingInc.org.